A smoked and slow roasted barbacoa recipe, Americanized only by the use of a smoker and a readily available chuck roast cut. A bonus chili recipe from the roasting sauce is included. I’ve spoken before about how our family’s cooking activities have “ruined” certain convenience items for us. In many cases, the recipes or techniques that we’ve developed at home, while they may take more time, result in a product far superior than what is commercially available. Things like burgers, barbecue,... more

How to make homemade pasta dough with basil from scratch using a Blendtec Twister Jar (plus, I’m giving one away). The basil here is used similar to how you would make spinach pasta dough rather than just mixing in minced herbs, which results in a green-colored pasta and a strong but not overwhelming basil flavor. This past Sunday we headed off to the farmers market to find the vendors are slowly starting to clear. It happens every year around this time when their particular items are done... more

A recipe for an easy creamy tomato sauce with a vegetable-loaded pasta from Amber of Bluebonnets and Brownies. If you’re reading this, it’s a sure bet you love Shaina. I think she’s pretty phenomenal, myself. When I think back to the first time I met her, at BlogHer Food in 2010, (I swear, I thought she was 18), I remember vividly her sweet smile and sparkling mischievous eyes. Our Shaina, she’s one of a kind. In case you haven’t heard, Shaina wrote a book, and has been... more

A quick and easy garlic chicken mixed grill shish kebab recipe and a giveaway for an Everyday Grillin’ Prize Pack with cast iron skewers from Bush’s Beans. So, this is it. Summer has come to a close. Tomorrow the world will change and start spinning in the opposite direction, replacing long days at home with little directing our path with long days of school and structure. Labor Day doesn’t mean the end of grilling season for my husband. In reality, I think sometimes we may even... more

Creamy risotto topped with a good helping of roasted radishes, cipollini onions, fresh beans, and any other seasonal vegetables your heart desires. I’ve been a bit turned around lately, where my head is moving in one direction, but my body just sits there, unresponsive to the wills of my brain. It feels a bit like there is an imp using my heart as a dais, bouncing up and down on his little platform with just enough force to make it feel as though my heart isn’t pumping freely. The... more

This recipe for baked arancini where leftover risotto is stuffed with fresh mozzarella balls, herbs, and bacon, breaded and baked is a meal you’ll be happy to invite your family over to enjoy with you. Sunday dinners worked like clockwork when I was growing up. They were spent at my grandparents’ home, wrestling on the floor with my uncle, eating black olives off our fingers, and for me, silently sitting in the kitchen watching my grandma fuss over the meal. Her hair would be pulled... more

Beat the heat with these Vietnamese-style shrimp spring rolls, with honey-soy marinated shrimp. Fresh, cold, and crunchy, they make an ideal hot weather food. I hope you’re in a forgiving mood. It’s Thursday. The week has flashed by in a flurry of phone calls and well-laid plans gone wrong. It rained on the one day I needed it to remain dry, and it was hot and unforgiving as I hid out in a hospital room, holding the hand of my daughter as she had a golf ball that isn’t actually... more